184 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE PLUM. 



the curculios down into the umbrella, where they are collected 

 and destroyed. It is very important that the fallen plums 

 should be promptly gathered and burnt or scaldecl, so as to 

 destroy the larva before it has time to escape. Indeed, to 

 make ])lum-culture a success, the jarring of the trees and the 

 uathering of the fallen fruit must be regularly continued, 

 anc! should be regarded as one of the necessary departments 

 of labor belonging to it. 



Many other remedies have been suggested, but they are all 

 of little value compared with those already given. One of 

 these is to place hogs in plum and peach orchards to devour 

 the fallen fruit ; and it is said to have proved in some in- 

 stances a very successful and inexpensive way of disi)osiiig 

 of a large portion of the curculios. Hens with their broods 

 of chickens enclosed within the plum-orchard will devour 

 a large number of the larvse of the curculio. It has also 

 been advised to place chips or shingles, or strips of cloth or 

 canvas, on the ground, under which some of the beetles will 

 take shelter, when they may be easily captured. Various 

 compounds have been suggested with which to syringe the 

 foliage; hanging bottles of sweetened water on the trees to 

 attract the beetles, scattering air-slaked lime through the foli- 

 age, and smoking the insects out by burning tar occasionally 

 under the trees, have also been advised. As 

 a preventive measure, plum-orchards should 

 not be planted near a wood, as the curculios 

 find plenty of shelter there, and are likely 

 to be more numerous than in more open 

 ground; also avoid giving them sheltei", by 

 removing and burning all rubbish that may 

 accumulate about the trees. 



There are many insects which devour the 

 curculio larva as it esca})cs from the fruit, 

 while some eat into the fruit as it lies upon the ground, seize 

 the culprits, drag them out, and eat them. Foremost among 

 these beneficial insects are two or three species of common 



Fig. 193. 



